WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is now adhering to a package of harsh sanctions designed to economically cripple Moscow as his administration continues to negotiate a deal to end the war that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he met with Trump at the White House earlier Wednesday, during which the president “gave the green light” to the Russia sanctions bill that has been in the works for months.
Graham previously reported that Trump had approved the bill but faced additional hurdles. But a White House official confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the president supports the sanctions legislation.
“This is timely, as Ukraine makes concessions for peace and Putin does nothing but talk and continues to kill innocent people,” Graham said in a statement, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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The bill, authored primarily by Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Democrat of Connecticut, allows the administration to impose secondary tariffs and sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. This amounts to cutting off the source of financing for a large part of Russian military actions.
The White House has previously insisted on some revisions and flexibilities for Trump in the sanctions package, but the White House official did not say Wednesday whether any changes had been achieved.
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The bill has dozens of co-sponsors in the Senate, as well as a companion bill in the House, authored by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.
Graham said there could be a vote as soon as next week, although it’s unclear how likely that will be. The Senate is set to pass a reduced government funding package next week that the House is now considering, if the House passes it. The following week is a Senate recess scheduled for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Trump administration is currently trying to finalize a peace deal to end the nearly four-year-old war in Ukraine, with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, serving as the US president’s chief negotiators.
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